Machine for riving- basket-splints



"UNITED STATES PAIENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM J. HORTON, OF LA GRANGE, ALABAMA.

MACHINE FOR RIVING BASKET-SPLINTS, &C.

Specification of Letters Patent No To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. HoRToN, of La Grange, in the county of Franklin and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Machine for Riving Splints for Baskets, Hampers, and the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is a side sectional view of my invention taken in the line x, Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of ditto, taken in the line y, y, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

The object of my invention is to obtain a simple and efficient machine for riving splints for baskets, hampers, and the like, one that may be manipulated with facility, perform its work expeditiously and be well adapted for southern or plantation use, where large quantities of baskets or hampers are required for the carrying of cotton.

The invention consists in the employment or use of rollers and a riving knife arranged to operate conjointly as hereinafter described and thereby effect the desired end.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents a horizontal bedpiece which is supported at a proper height in any suitable way. Y

B B, represent two vertical ledges which are attached longitudinally to the bed piece and parallel with each other. On these ledges B, B, the axes of three rollers C, C, D, are placed and allowed to turn freely.

'Io the bed-piece A, two vertical plates E, E are attached. Those plates are equal in width to the bed-piece, and one extends over the front and the other over the back roller C, openings a being made in the plates to receive the rollers as well as to allow the stock or stick to pass through over the rollers, the plates forming guides for the stock or stick.

To each side of the bed piece A, there is attached an upright F. These uprights are in line or in the same plane with the axis of the central roller D, and the inner side of 26,268, dated November 29, 1859.

each upright is grooved vertically to form a guide, said guides receiving a gate G, which is allowed to move freely up and down between them.

In the gate G, a knife H, is placed. This knife is attached by screws to a stock which forms the cross-piece of the gate. This stock has a recess or opening e, made transversely in it as shown plainly in Fig. l, to form a throat for the knife.

All the parts comprising the machine with the exception of the knife may be of cast iron.

The operation will be readily seen. The stock or stick H is drawn manually over the rollers, C, C, and between the knife H, and roller D, and a splint is rived from the stick the thickness ofthe splints being regulated by adjusting the knife H, on its stock. By having a roller placed over each roller C, the machine will be rendered self feeding and could be operated by any convenient power other than human.

The weight of the knife H, together lwith its frame may be sufficient to keep the knife to its work and at the same time allow it to follow the grain of the wood and conform to its irregularities. The gate G, however, may be loaded with any necessary weight that may be required to keep the knife to its work and enable it to operate as above described. The knife also may be set higher or lower so' as to cut splints of a greater or less thickness.

The machine may be constructed at a small cost, and there are no parts liable to get out of repair or become deranged by use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use of the rollers C, C, D, three or more, knife H, placed in the gate G, and the guide plates E, E, arranged for joint operation substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM J. HORTON.

IVitnesses:

F. C. VINsoN, I. W. ROBERTSON.

each time it is passed through the machine, 

